Summary
Intimacy serves the subject matter well. It represents the cruel nature of cybercrime and how it can upend a person’s life.
This review of Netflix’s Intimacy (or known as Intimidad) season 1 does not contain spoilers.
It’s nice to see Itziar Ituño back on our streaming screens, especially after her barnstorming performance in the final phases of Money Heist. In Intimacy, the actress moves from Professor’s wife to a mayoral candidate named Malen. The story finds Malen in a difficult position; she has to deal with a video that has been leaked of her having sex, which not only puts her family in jeopardy but her career.
Intimacy deals with the pains of abusive cybercrime; how intimate revelations regarding a person’s life can be destructive in different walks of life. The story also introduces Bego (played by Patricia López Arnaiz) — a determined character who wants to understand the truth behind her sister’s suicide. Her sister (Ane) is also a victim of abusive cybercrime after a sex tape was released around her workplace.
Intimacy gets to the heart of the issue; on the one hand, you have a mayoral candidate who is trying to control the narrative, and on the other hand, an everyday woman who felt embarrassed to report what happened to her at work, which led to her unnecessary death. Both case studies are examples of the horrendous nature of social media and how it does not help women report crimes against them due to shame and embarrassment. Malen attempts to skew that concept by tackling it head-on, but there’s a somber feeling with the understanding that Ane did not have a voice. The early dialogue is powerful by Malen — she states she had consensual sex on the beach, and “that’s it.” Yet revelations of recorded intimacy can destroy a life.
The Netflix series is cool and dramatic. While keeping the story’s theme seriously, the performances keep the entertainment brewing. There’s a strong pulse that remains consistent throughout each episode as both stories of Malen and Ane intertwine and make impactful ironies. Intimacy has a strong sense of binge-worthiness, so it’s no surprise that Itziar Ituño was cast to lead. She’s used to a fast-paced plot, after all.
Intimacy serves the subject matter well. It represents the cruel nature of cybercrime and how it can upend a person’s life. It taps into the emotions that come when a private moment of physical intimacy is leaked. And for that, the Netflix series deserves all the praise. The characters are played marvelously well, understanding what is at stake; they bring the awareness of these types of crimes to the fold, which is uncompromising. Yes, there are many twists on the way, but the theme stays true to itself.
With that being said, Intimacy deserves far more recognition than its limited marketing. Let’s hope the lack of marketing does not hurt its efforts and word-of-mouth spreads. The Spanish series is an insightful but exhilarating watch.
What did you think of Netflix’s Intimacy (or known as Intimidad) season 1? Comment below.
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